Before the Fire
by TheWiseInitiate
Summary: This is slightly overdone, but I would like to contribute my take on the prompt: What if they had caught Palpatine before Anakin had completely made his turn? Features Anidala, and quite a few other pairings. The story is much better than the description!
1. Chapter 1

Her husband had not been home for nearly two months. Two months she had waited to tell him her news. In two months, so much had changed.

This was only to be expected, after all, her husband was Anakin Skywalker, most famed Jedi in the galaxy, next to only Master Yoda, and his skilled partner and master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. No one had known that they were married- they did that themselves on Naboo after Geonosis. Their only witnesses were droids, but that was for the best, for droids were one of the few beings that you could count on to keep confidential information, well, confidential. This was vitally important, for Jedi were not allowed to form any sort of attachments, and that category certainly included marriage. And with marriage came…other things. Like children.

It hadn't happened yet…but there had certainly been a few scares. One had been quite recently, but luckily, a quick trip to Coruscant's local infirmary had cleared that up. If it hadn't been resolved in the way that it had…the results would have been catastrophic. Hiding a marriage…that was one thing. Hiding a child with a probability of having a large force presence…that was another thing.

Padme put that thought over to the side for a short period of time- after all, her husband would be returning later in the evening. She lied out all of the silverware and plates, and then set up a few candles. Anakin had left her a holo-message earlier telling her that he would likely be home for dinner. She had planned to make him some kind of Tatooine-themed dish with a ruby bliel, but due to her limited knowledge of preparing food thanks to being served all her life, her dish did not have the…desired appearance. Oh well, she thought, Anakin will appreciate the fact that she had even made an attempt, for he knew what her cooking was like.

During the months in which Anakin went on long business trips across the galaxy, such as this one, Padme typically stayed at her Senatorial residence- the one provided by the Senate, of course. But during the evenings, she snuck back into her and Anakin's large apartment in the center of Coruscant- not far from the Jedi Council Chambers- to sleep with familiar surroundings. The apartment reminded her of Anakin, and when she missed him, she could simply pull on one of his old robes and fall asleep with his aroma surrounding her- the scent of sweat and hard work- but still the comforting scent of Anakin. She really did love him- truly, deeply, and with all her existence.

He felt the exact same. She was what kept him going. What fueled his will to keep fighting, to keep living, to keep surviving. His knowledge that she would be there for him when he returned home- that was all he needed. Anakin was constantly on long missions, on which he would be away for upwards of six months. It was difficult for him- which meant that it had to be even more difficult for Padme. She really _didn't_ know if he was coming back- at all- after these trips, which made the small holo-messages that he sent her periodically even more important. He didn't doubt how strong she was- her strength rivaled his- but he knew that love was a strange thing. A weakness- and a strength at the same time.

This had been one of his shorter trips. Two months wasn't too terrible, but it was still a longer mission than he would have liked. After all, so much can happen in two months. For all he knew, Obi-Wan had found out about their relationship, and Yoda had been so done with Coruscant that he had blown it out of the sky! Not likely…Anakin thought.

Anakin was almost on Coruscant…just a few more lightyears to go. He had been trying to track General Grevious with Obi-Wan, but their efforts had been in vain. They were no closer now to his position then they were half a year ago. The whole time his mind really wasn't on the mission, it was on Padme. What she could be doing, where she was, how she was doing… he wasn't about to lose her like he lost his mother. He wouldn't let that happen. Not in a million years.

She knew it was him from the second he knocked on the door. And not just because of their knocking code that they had created (It was necessary when her husband practically _attracted_ danger). She could almost sense him- not as strongly as he could, but she still could get some idea of who was behind the door.

Padme ran over to the door and slapped the button with her hand. The second the door flew open, she ran into Anakin's arms, surrounding herself in his embrace. She felt as his strong arms wrapped around her small frame and slowly drew her inside the apartment. They just stood in the hallway in the apartment wrapped around each other- never wanting to let go, and never wanting to be apart again, despite the inevitable. After a few minutes Anakin drew her face up to his and looked into her eyes. She raised her chin, and their lips connected for the first time in what had felt like two years. Once again, the galaxy was perfect. He memorized the shape of her lips- not that he could forget them, but he wanted to make sure he knew every detail of her. Every perfect crease and curve. She moved her mouth against his, wanting the kiss to last forever. They started the descent into passion, but did not get very far before both of them had to come out for a breath. She then rested her head on his chest, and he began to whisper to her. "Oh, thank the gods. I love you, so, so much. I'm home. I'm home now, and I won't be leaving for a while. I'm here."

It was these moments that they lived for. That brought him home. That gave him the will to keep on surviving. That made her so anxious for the times when he comes home.

"Oh, Annie," she started. "I was so worried. I had heard…rumors. Terrible rumors. People said that you wouldn't be coming home. That you were gone, and that I had lost you. I wouldn't have been able to go on."

"Shhhh," he began. "And yes, you would have. I would never leave you, and even if I did, you most certainly would go on without me. You are strong. Stronger than you know. Never listen to rumors, they only bring about pain and suffering. Listen to your heart instead. It will tell you exactly where I am and how I am doing. You would know if I had perished. I can sense you, or at least a small presence of the force within you, and I know that you can too. I'm here, and I will be for a long time."

"Thank you," she whispered. And with that, she withdrew her head from his chest and took his hand. They walked into the kitchen together, where dinner was in the process of being finished up.

"Oh! Master Annie! It _is_ so good to see you! One does worry when old friends disappear!" That was C-3PO, always a chatter-box. He had been given to Padme as a matrimonial gift from Anakin- for he had nothing else to give her, because Jedi do not have possessions of any kind. Anakin had regained C-3PO after the sudden death of his mother; when Cleigg Lars had given him the droid who was seen but nothing but a simple annoyance to his family. He also had no use in the field with Anakin, and was better placed as a household droid, hence his being in the apartment.

"Hey 3PO! Good to see you too, Buddy! Thank you for your help, but I think I can take it from here. You are dismissed."

"But Master Ana-" C-3PO started to object.

"Really, take the night off! You've done well," Anakin rushed to say. He motioned to the droid charging chamber, telling C-3PO to go.

"Yes. As you wish, Master Anakin." C-3PO then backed into the corner and walked into his chambers, well, the room that he shared with all of the other household droids. It was necessary to have a full crew, for Anakin was only home every once in a while, and Padme was gone every day of the work week, and also absent on most Saturdays.

Anakin then picked up on the sweet aroma of a home-cooked meal; a luxury he hadn't had in a while.

"Is that-" He started.

"Yep!" She laughed. "I cooked. Now don't run away! I've gotten better at cooking since the last time I…attempted this! But I would keep Dex's on speed dial just in case…"

"Alright!" He laughed back. He then picked her up in his arms and swung her around in a circle, watching her laugh as he did so. Something felt different to him, though. Something was off. She felt a little different, and there was an odd frequency in the force. He wouldn't call it anything of the dark side, just…odd. Like something had changed, and his senses were all mixed up…he couldn't sort force signatures as easily as he had been able to the last time that he was in Coruscant. He pushed the thought off to the side- this was a happy time. Not one to dwell on Jedi problems.

"Careful Ani!" She squealed as he spun her. He put her down at her request and looked at her with inquisitive eyes. He tried to get an answer without voicing his concern, but when he didn't, he was even more confused.

"What?" Was all she said. He knew better than to argue with her. She always won.

He decided that it was time for a change of subject to diffuse the awkward tension. " So, what are we…eating? Inhaling? Trying to crush with our teeth, and then failing and having to leave to the disposal instead?" That got her attention.

"HEY!" She said as she playfully punched him. "You typically wouldn't put food down the disposal anyway, smart one."

Anakin then put his hands up in defeat, knowing that he _really_ wasn't getting anywhere. At that moment, the timer went off for the main course. Padme started to walk over to get the oven mitts to open up the oven, but Anakin intervened. He opened the door with the force, and lifted the tray in the air, only to put it back down on top of the counter. He then smirked at her, and went to finish up setting the table, which was nearly done anyway. It was obvious that Padme had practically dropped everything and run to the door when she had heard Anakin. He sat the salt shaker down, and then sat himself down, waiting for Padme to finish up.

"Eager, are we?" She commented.

"Yes! And you are beginning to sound like Master Yoda…"

"Yikes!" She laughed. "Alright, I'm coming!"

With that, she walked over to the table with the tray and sat it down. Anakin actually thought it looked quite…normal for a dinner! It wasn't burnt, not underdone, and didn't give off an abnormal tint. It actually looked like something that his mother used to make for him!

"Wow, Padme! This actually looks…amazing! Great job! This is better than I could do!" He laughed.

"Thank you! Well, I hope it tastes as decent as it looks…" She answered.

"Wait…is this a ruby bliel? I haven't had one of these in forever!"

"Yep, I had the day off today, so I thought I'd take on a project!" She said. He laughed in response, and smiled at her. A pure smile. She had missed that expression on him lately. He wore it far too seldom. The war had been hard on him… but not as hard as it had been on some of his other partners.

They ate in silence, but it was a comfortable one. The meal was far better than expected, which left everyone happy. Every once in a while, they both would look up at the same time, stare at each other, and then laugh and look away. It was these moments that defined them. Not the large ones. Not to say that taking large steps weren't important, just that little ones…small stares, smiles, and smirks, were just as important, if not, more important. When Anakin comes home, it's just him and her. There's nothing in the galaxy that is more important to them, then the way that they feel about each other. Maybe Sola was right. It might be time to stop giving everything away, and start taking things for herself for a while.


	2. Chapter 2

That night, Padme lay in bed, thinking of what she planned to do with the few days that the council had unknowingly allowed her to spend with her husband, Anakin Skywalker. Although they were married, and of course, there was no other possible Anakin for her to refer to, she still loved using his _full_ name rather than just his first name. It was certainly not for formalities- they had passed that point a long time ago- it was because she loved the sound of it. _Padme Skywalker. Anakin Skywalker. The Skywalkers. Mr. and Mrs. Skywalker._ It just had a ring to it. The name said that yes, she was married, and yes, she was in love. But more importantly, no, she did not care what the council or society said, or what they believed to be acceptable in society. She loved Anakin. She needed him, just as much as he needed her.

She should have been sleeping, as it _was_ 03:00, but she just couldn't. She couldn't stop thinking about what in the galaxy she was going to do with the rest of her week off, well, Anakin's week off. She really couldn't decide whether she _was_ going to take the week off or not. Typically she would, but she had taken so much time off of work lately. Between visiting the local healer and generally being unmotivated, she had missed almost two standard weeks in full. If she were to miss any more, she risked her position and reputation in the senate. She really did love her husband. She loved him more than anything in the galaxy. She loved her work, though, too. She loved what the senate stood for. She loved Democracy.

She also was wondering exactly what she was going to do about her constant worries. Should she tell Anakin, or leave it be? They needed to be much more careful with what they were doing, that was for sure. A baby would be a blessing, but catastrophic nonetheless. A son would end her career. A daughter would get Anakin thrown out of the order. A family would end their secret. Anakin could hide who he came home to after the end of the day, but he couldn't hide a force-sensitive child, and a parent's love for a child…that overshadows everything. It would only be a matter of time before something happened and he would have to leave work for "unexplained reasons". Someday, maybe, if it was the right time… But until then, it wasn't something she was planning on, well, _planning_ on.

She was an independent, strong, and powerful senator! She really shouldn't be having internal debates over whether to tell her husband little things such as false alarms that she had experienced in the past year or so, but whenever she was around him, she lost her composure. It was as if everything she had ever learned suddenly slipped out of her, and she was left with nothing but her silly, girlish emotions. She absolutely detested that- she would always become practically weak at the knees whenever Anakin was around. She couldn't form a coherent thought, much less a sentence.

He obeyed her every command, and she practically held him in the palm of her hand, but somehow she was always left feeling as if she had lost all control. Her visits to the senate did her good, for they brought up what little sanity she had left.

She was suddenly pulled from her thoughts by a slight vibration from the bed below her. Then another, and another. She looked over to Anakin, only to see his body shaking. He turned back and forth, almost sobbing. His breath came in short bursts, as he was hyperventilating. This was happening more and more lately, and she was beginning to grow worried.

She tapped him on the shoulder, and then shook him, and eventually he eased back into consciousness. When he did, she pulled him to her, wrapping his heaving body around her. She kissed his cheek as he sobbed, tears spilling onto her nightgown.

"Do you-?" She began. She raised her eyebrows and looked at him inquisitively.

"No," Anakin said. "Please. Just hold me."

And hold him she did. She comforted him as he rocked back and forth, and whispered encouragement into his ear. She had seen him like this a few times. Twice, actually in his last visit. It scared her to see him like this, so distraught and unlike his regular self. During these times she almost sensed- no, never mind. She had promised herself that she would not think in that way quite a long time ago. It would only scare her into thinking the impossible, and what good is that?

She kissed him full on the mouth when he had stopped sobbing for the most part, and wiped away the remainder of his tears away.

"Ani, you kn-"

"Know that I can tell you anything. Yes. I am aware. I just… I don't… I can't…," Anakin tried, shaking his head.

There was silence for a few minutes before the conversation picked up again. They stared into each other's eyes with a mutual understanding of the situation.

"Okay," Padme finally said. "Alright. That's fine, if you are fine."

"I am," he answered, avoiding her gaze. "It was just a dream. Not even a realistic one. My mother is already gone. There is no possible way for her to come back, only to die yet again. I'm absolutely fine. No need to worry."

"No need to _worry?_ You are _fine?_ You most certainly did not look fine to me, three minutes ago when you were sobbing into my-"

"I'm fine. Really. I'm just going out to get some fresh air," He finished. He then kissed her on the cheek and started towards the balcony.

 _Oh, how she wished he would stop pushing her away._

He was done. So very done. Obi-Wan had told him to ignore his dreams. That they were a simple figment of his imagination. _What about my dreams about my mother, Obi-Wan,_ he silently asked. _Were those real enough for your liking? Was my mother's actual death enough proof for you?_

He had begun to doubt his old master lately. He just didn't seem to understand anymore. He didn't seem to care. It was true, Anakin loved Obi-Wan as the father he never had, but sometimes when he was _so_ fed up, he could hardly stand it anymore, he tended to burst from the inside out. He didn't want to admit it, but he was _so angry_ all the time anymore. He felt _hatred_ towards people. He loathed actual beings, and no one could know about it. Not even his wife.

Married life had changed Anakin. He was softer around the edges on the outside, but more rigid than ever on the inside. He was now constantly afraid that when he went home, that he wouldn't see anyone there. That she was just a beautiful mirage that would disappear eventually. Or even worse, that death would take her in the times that he was away. He had told her that the dream was about his mother. He had lied.

As it turns out, these thoughts, like Anakin's changing behavior lately, were more common than Padme knew. This was the way he was at the temple. Ever secretive, mysterious, and angry. There was so much hate coursing through his veins, his old master could barely tell which parts of him were man, and which parts of him were actually the dragon that he kept hidden in his chest. Not a literal dragon, of course, but an embodiment of rage. Dangerous rage. Rage that would soon work against him.

Almost everyone knew that he was friends with Chancellor Palpatine, even his wife. What they didn't know was that Palpatine wasn't just any friend. He was a sith lord, and one that was influencing Anakin's conflicted mind, filling it with dangerous ideas and doubts. He had gone from a happy, smiling, newlywed to a confused, conflicted, tempered man. Padme thought that the stress and intensity of the Clone Wars had caused this change, but how _wrong_ she was. It was Anakin's old friend, and soon-to-be master.

Obi-Wan was worried about him. He knew that something was up. Anakin hadn't acted like this since- well, he hadn't acted like this. Ever. Period. He wasn't oblivious to the Chancellor's ways. He had sensed more than once that his force presence was…off. Even the fact that he had one was disturbing to say the least. There were also rumors that Anakin hadn't completely committed himself to the Jedi lifestyle. That he had formed…attachments. Obi-Wan tried to ignore such rumors about his partner. After all, he wanted to think the best of Anakin. He was his best friend. No, he was more than that. The truth was, Obi-Wan had also formed an attachment. His partner in crime was more than a business helper, he was practically his son. And he loved Anakin as a son. He was supposed to be able to sacrifice his partner's life if it was the only way that a mission could be completed, but he wasn't sure that he could do that. He _knew_ that he couldn't do that. Besides that, Obi-Wan hadn't even touched on the incidents with Satine and Siri. Those were stories for another time.

It was for these reasons that Obi-Wan had made the choice to pay a visit to Anakin Skywalker. The thing that he hadn't meant to do, however, was pay a visit to a certain senator from Naboo. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and when Anakin wasn't at the temple or in the Jedi living quarters…he chose the next most likely place. The Republica 500 building.


	3. Chapter 3

Just as a reminder: I don't own Star Wars, and if I did... well, no more needs to be said.

Obi-Wan was a practical man. He didn't stray too far from what his master, Qui-Gon Jinn had taught him. _Be forgiving. Be accepting. Be kind,_ his mind told him. _Keep a level head,_ was perhaps, his favorite of the lessons that he had learned. It definitely proved the most useful of the group.

At the moment, Obi-Wan wanted to do anything but keep a "level head". His former Padawan was _nowhere_ to be found, and he was losing his mind, as he often did around Anakin. He loved him, but that boy drove him up the wall sometimes! Going this way, and that way, always secretive, and not to mention, painstakingly moody. Obi-Wan had already searched the whole Jedi Temple, with no avail. It seemed that Anakin was always gone these days, like a hormonal teenager holes up in his bedroom during the weekend. Whenever he asked him where he was going, Anakin always skipped around the question with generalizations and redirection of the conversation. Obi-Wan wasn't about to give up on him, though. He would figure it out. Even if it killed him.

The next logical move to make would be to go to the 500 Republica building, for Anakin was often there when he was off duty. That wasn't very often anymore, though. Many people had thought that by this time last year, the Clone Wars would be over quite soon. Yet here they were: a year later, and the war still just heating up. The council seemed to grow closer to finding the sith lord every day, and with that, came the hope that the wishes of the common people would be granted eventually. Well, in Obi-Wan's lifetime at least.

Obi-Wan hopped in his new Model G-767 Speeder and fastened his belt. He turned on the engine, which in turn, activated the view screen in the top right-hand corner of the display panel. The screen showed a map of his sector of Coruscant, and gave him fast and simple instructions on the path of least resistance to the 500 Republica building, but he really did not need them for such a short journey. After all, the apartment complex was less than 5 standard minutes away.

As he flew, Obi-Wan tried to clear his mind of any of the negative thoughts that he had created in the past few hours. It was not the Jedi way to be angry, or hold grudges for that matter, so it was customary for Obi-Wan to take some time off and meditate on his thoughts after stressful meetings or negotiations. Most of these meditating sessions took place after seeing Anakin. He had a fair share of them after council meetings, too. He loved the Republic, the Senate, and the Order, but they were not without their flaws. If Obi-Wan was perfectly honest with himself, he would admit that the code was not perfect, and that he didn't always agree with it. He really didn't see why a quarter of that stuff even mattered… He chalked that up to being too much like Qui-Gon for his own good. His old master, like him, had taken a certain liking to independence, and a habit of skidding around the rules when possible. He certainly wasn't _as_ bad as Qui-Gon Jinn was about ignoring directions, but he still had a bit more…rebellious, if that is the right term for it, features.

When he arrived, Obi-Wan hopped quickly from his G-767 speeder and sprinted to the door of the Republica 500 building. As soon as he pushed open the intricately designed glass doors, he felt Anakin's presence through the force. It was rather strong, and the waves he was getting were very straightforward. He immediately knew that something, although he did not know what, was making Anakin quite happy. Obi-Wan tried to connect to him through the force, but the only connection he was able to make was a weak one. He tried to feel for where Anakin was, and felt a strong disturbance radiating from the room three floors up, and ten doors to the right. He saw… A very large red door, with blood-red carpet. Large glass panels, a desk, and… a light saber? That was interesting.

Obi-Wan progressed to the room. As he climbed up the stairs, he activated his light saber and tossed the blade from hand to hand, contemplating taking his weapon in lit. Anakin could be in serious trouble, but if he wasn't… Obi-Wan could simply make the situation worse. Besides, he really _didn't_ need any more enemies than he already had. Taking this, he than deactivated his blade, and instead placed it on his belt where it could be easily drawn if he needed to do so. Upon reaching the door, he put his ear to the wall beside the frame, and listened in.

 _"_ _Anakin, please. If you wish to go to the council about all of this, I would advise you…"_ He heard a voice say. Male or female, he wasn't sure.

 _"_ _No. This is against my code as a Jedi… I have to. No matter how badly I want to keep this a secret. It's not right, and it's my job to stop it."_ Said a voice. Now this voice, Obi-Wan knew. This was obviously Anakin. But what secret was he speaking of?

 _"_ _Anakin, this could be our little secret. Please. I am your friend, am I not? Besides, I am the only one who can save your wi-"_

 _"_ _No! You are a sit-"_ And with that, Obi-Wan paused. Was Anakin speaking with a sith? Maybe not just a sith, but _the_ sith lord that the council had been searching for? Kenobi took his saber off of his belt, and prepared for a fight. He opened the door and found the last person that he would ever expect to find on the inside. Sheev Palpatine.

Okay. So maybe not **_the_** last person he expected to find. After all, it was his office.

As he entered the room, Anakin's eyes flew over to him in a silent plead for help. He communicated with Anakin through the force before taking any action.

 _Anakin, what in the world is going on?_

 _Master-_ Anakin started, sounding worried.

 _Don't call me that, Anakin._

 _This is not the time, Obi-Wan. Palpatine is a sith lord. He's_ the _sith lord that we have been looking for._ There was a sense of… what was that? Hesitation, perhaps, in Anakin's voice. He almost sounded pained. What Obi-Wan didn't know is that the statement that Anakin had just made had practically doomed his wife.

 _I thought as much,_ replied Obi-Wan, pretending to be oblivious to Anakin's strange tone.

 _What are we to do?_

 _We will do what we must. Wait for my signal, Anakin. After the last time we fought… well, you know how important waiting is._

 _Alright Mas- Obi-Wan._

 _Good luck, my friend._

 _Thank you, Obi-Wan._

And with that, Obi-Wan focused his main attention on the Supreme Chancellor. Now _this_ was not going to be fun.

"Ah," began the Chancellor. "I see that Anakin has arranged for a… friend to come and play with us. Is that right, Anakin?" Anakin's head immediately perked up and Obi-Wan felt him completely disconnect from their force conversation. This was it. They were about to face the most troubling opponent they had ever come face to face with. The supreme Chancellor was, in reality, a supreme sith. _So Dooku hadn't been fooling around with my trust. He had been telling the truth. The Senate… the Republic…all of it, has been under the control of an evil sith lord for who knows how long. The Senate has been corrupt for years, and I didn't even know it. Some kind of Jedi I am._

"No, sir," Anakin sneered. "He came on his own. That's what Jedi do. We care about more than ourselves. We serve others. We defend the defenseless. We fix what is wrong in the galaxy. We fix what _you_ create."

"But Anakin, my friend," Palpatine retorted. "I have the power to save _Padme._ If she is to live…" _Now that is curious,_ Obi-Wan thought.

"NO!" Anakin roared, and Obi-Wan stood still for a moment, surprised with his former Padawan's strong voice. "You can't save her. You never said that you could. I almost pledged my _life_ to you. I have been at your office nearly every day for the past- well, while. You haven't done a thing to try to find the power to save her, and I have an idea _why._ If I had to make an…educated guess, I would say that you don't even know where to start on our little "project". Chancellor, you are under arrest. And there is nothing- nothing that you can do, or say, to make me change my mind." Obi-Wan Kenobi heard the cackling laugh of the supreme Chancellor in the background.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, my boy." The Chancellor looked Anakin in the eyes, and his expression changed to that of sadness. "You had such… potential. You would have made a wonderful sith. It's just too bad I'm going to have to dispose of you both, now. I'm sorry to say this, but I just wasn't quite… ready to leave. Not just yet. I will not come quietly, boys, much to your disappointment. You are oblivious to the extent of the power of the dark side. You cannot defeat me."

"We will try," replied Obi-Wan, with a serious tone. He quickly glanced over to Anakin, and sent a nod in his direction. _Now,_ he said through the force.

At that, Anakin and Obi-Wan activated their lightsabers and neared Palpatine. They approached him slowly, planning to go in at the same time. The Chancellor, however, had different ideas. He sprung from behind his desk, and barreled towards them. He spun in the air, and ignited his blood-red lightsaber. Blood red carpet. Blood red walls. Blood red desk. Blood red sword. Blood red. A color; so fitting for a sith. There was going to be blood spilled tonight. But _who's_ blood- that was the question.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello, fellow fangirls and fanboys! I still do not own Star Wars, much to my disappointment. I was, however, not disappointed my the amount of reviews on the last chapter, so thank you so much! I'm glad that some of you are enjoying the story! A special thanks to lunarchroniclesandcockatiels, and several other guests. This was a quick update, so on with the story.

Blue met red in a frightening crash of sparks. The dance had begun. For thousands of years, the Jedi and the Sith had been at each other, tearing out each other's necks mercilessly. Every battle they had ever fought had led to this- the confrontation of the final Sith. And it would all be over within the hour.

Anakin swung his lightsaber to the right, reaching to the force to guide him. He had spent so long in the darkness, that it had nearly consumed him. His greed, fear, and lust for power had almost suffocated him, and cost him the one person he loved most. He had told himself that he was doing this all for her- all to protect her, but even he had doubts about how much of that was true. His mind was being twisted and shaped into something that he, himself, could not understand. The dark side had surrounded him like a thick fog on a spring morning, but he was beginning to see light through that fog. The light of the Jedi, of the force, and of his true love: peace, security, and helping those who are defenseless. It was the Jedi way. It was _his_ way. And that was the way it was supposed to be.

Palpatine's blade easily deflected Anakin's, and he stepped backwards unharmed. Sensing this moment of slight weakness, Obi-Wan took a jab at him. The parry was quickly met by a slash of Palpatine's blade, and at once, all three blades met in what seemed to be a perfect triangle, each side relying on the other to keep them upright. Someone would have to pull out, and when they did, it could very well be the end of them. It was a sorry price to pay for the inconvenience of battle. The casualties were eminent, and there was nothing to be done to stop that.

So this was the end of the old Republic that Mace Windu loved so much. The end of an era of politics and peace, guarded by the creator of the disturbances themselves. This was the end of the sith, and it went quite like this:

At the crash of the triangle, there arose a much more aggressive side of the duel. Where parries once were, stabs and jolts of power were now organized. The whole ordeal was finished off with a great precision and power, unlike any other the light side of the force had ever seen before. There was a certain… beauty to dueling with a lightsaber. Each elegant stroke, each parry, and each swipe seemed to be an endless painting, brought to life by the light of the saber. Obi-Wan jumped and summersaulted to the Chancellor's left, as Anakin closed in on the right. Lightsabers flashed in an almost unrecognizable pattern, flashing every which way. Swipe after swipe was made, and block after block followed. Just as it seemed that the battle would never end, a new element was brought into play. The force. And it made all the difference.

The force awakened inside of Anakin (yes, pun intended). The force awakened inside of Obi-Wan Kenobi. The force awakened inside of Chancellor Palpatine. And goodness, they used that to their advantage.

Blue lightening cackled from the hands of the Sith lord, and to Obi-Wan's surprise, hit him right in the chest. His body was propelled half way across the room, and then, there were two. Just as there was always meant to be. A master and an (almost) padawan. Just as there had been in the very beginning of the Jedi. Now this could be the very end.

Taking the opportunity given by the temporary fall of Obi-Wan, Anakin took off one of Palpatine's hands, just as Dooku had taken off one of his. Where his hand had been now lay a bloody stump, with a small tip of bone peeking out, as if to remind Anakin that this man was still human. He still felt pain. He still felt loss. But he felt no love, for he had never known it.

"Ah, my boy," he began. "So much has changed. You know, it didn't have to be this way. _If only_ Kenobi weren't here, I might have been… more willing to come without a fight. Things _may_ have been different. Maybe, just maybe, no one would have to die tonight. The galaxy is full of "if onlys", my boy. I would hate to make your fall the result of one. But nonetheless, I shall do what is required of me. I shall miss you, Anakin."

Palpatine's eyes flashed a menacing yellow, and he charged once again. The loss of his hand had done nothing but anger him. The Sith feed off of hatred and pain, and Anakin had just supplied the Chancellor with exactly what he needed to continue the fight. As Anakin drew into the battle once more, Obi-Wan began to make his way onto his feet. Slowly at first, and then faster and faster, until he was completely standing; lightsaber ignited in hand. This was not, however, before he made a quick comm to the Jedi council, asking for assistance. There was no way to tell when the reinforcements would be arriving, so until then, it was just Obi-Wan and Anakin. Skywalker and Kenobi. Just like old times. Fighting the forces of evil in a manner of elegance and precision. Fighting to the death.

All battles must eventually come to an end, and when they do, the results can be… catastrophic, to say the least. Some end in small explosions. Others, like the one taking place here, end in super novae's, scattering their remains far and wide, all across the galaxy. This was the reality of war, and truth be told, it was not an attractive one.

Anakin struck Palpatine to the left, and Obi-Wan came in on the right. It seemed that these would be their final positions. A battle to the death.

Lightsabers swung in all directions, creating a haze of super-heated light. Once again, the dance of parries and blocks resumed, and everyone in the room could feel the new-found tension. This was to be the end. The Chancellor summersaulted backwards, landing perfectly on the raised platform in his office. Anakin and Obi-Wan shared a quick glance of worry, mixed with determination. The Chancellor now had the high ground, but both men were trained for this kind of situation, and easily devised a solution.

Obi-Wan swung down, as Anakin summersaulted overhead, lightsaber ignited the whole time. It was a tricky move that could have held disastrous consequences, but luckily it payed off. In the time it took the Chancellor to figure out what had happened, Obi-Wan had ridded Palpatine of both of his legs. In all of the confusion, the Chancellor slumped down to the floor, and simply lay there. The Sith's final demise.

When the ordeal was over, Obi-Wan picked up Palpatine's lightsaber and pocketed it. Then he took his own lightsaber and carved out the Sith lord's other hand, for in situations like this one, there is no measure to extreme. Palpatine was left defenseless and weaponless.

Anakin could have killed him if he wanted to, and Obi-Wan could have done the same. Simply beheaded him for all of the trouble that he had caused both of them. It was not the Jedi way, however, and neither man had the heart to do something so bold as to end his life altogether. He was to be put on trial. Not in the senate- the whole thing was corrupt, but in the Jedi temple, where peace and order was to be restored to the whole galaxy. The beginning of a new era.

It wasn't long after that five more masters from the temple emerged from a Republic Medical Cruiser, along with a floating medical stretcher to carry the body of the former Chancellor. They could hear the screams of anguish resonating from the mouth of Palpatine before they had even entered the hall in which he lay. They sounded animal-like, and the council almost felt bad for him. Almost, but not quite.

No one spoke a word as they loaded the Chancellor into the Cruiser. The most Anakin got was a pat on the back, and a slight nod from Obi-Wan. There would be time for congratulations when they got to the temple. For now, their one job was to secure the Sith, and they were doing exactly that. The battle was over. The super novae had exploded, shattering everything in its path. Now all that was left was to pick up the pieces, and try to start anew. Reorganize the senate. Put power back in balance. Restore the lost star systems. Oh, yes, and get rid of the rest of the "empire's" forces, which wouldn't be too difficult to do with the operator of the whole program being dead. It was the beginning and end of so much, and quite frankly, Anakin wasn't so sure he was ready for such a change.

He was supposed to be excited. He was meant to be pleased with the way that things had turned out, but he wasn't. He had indirectly murdered a friend, and in the process, murdered his wife. He had _hurt_ Padme. She was to die in childbirth, and it was all his fault. He could have saved her, but he didn't, and he could never reverse the choice that he had made.

At the temple, as expected, he was greeted with a thousand "Congratulations," and "Good jobs!" and "My, my! You have saved the Republic!" But he wanted none of that. He wanted them just to take into account, for one standard second, that he had lost a friend. A mentor. Palpatine was like a father to him, and had been since he had arrived at the temple as a very young boy. Wherever he passed, he met the same empty responses. None of these people knew how hard that had been for him, and the troubles that he was dealing with because of the decision that he had made. It's not as if he could walk up to them and say, "Hello, I would like very much if you would shut your mouth, for I have just killed my secret wife, oh! Did I mention that I had a wife? Anyway, yes, I have killed her by killing Palpatine, so I would appreciate it if you showed a little respect. Thanks!" Yes, because that would go _so_ well. He could hear Master Windu's response to that little rant right now…

As many times as he told himself that he had done the right thing, or his colleagues had told him that he had done the right thing, he couldn't shake the guilt of the whole thing. He couldn't convince himself of his nobility, and that, in essence, had the ability to create the downfall that he had been putting off for so long. Not a fall to the dark side, but a fall to somewhere much deeper, and this time, the fall would be within himself.


End file.
